For That Which I Am Thankful
by Denigoddess2001
Summary: Elisa isn't so certain of the mainstays in her life. Family tensions brew and a lurking emptiness hovers over her. Gentle reminders of the important things come from an unexpected dinner invitation. This is a Gargoyles' Thanksgiving tale from Elisa's POV.


Saga: A Gargoyle's Thanksgiving  
Title: For That Which I Am Thankful  
Genre: Romance/ Drama  
Rating: G  
Author: Denigoddess2001@aol.com  
  
I do not own Gargoyles. They belong to Disney. The quote at the beginning of the story isn't mine. I found it on the Internet: author unknown. The explanation of Thanksgiving at the bottom of the tale is from encyclopedia.com. It's intended for those not of American descent so that they might understand the Holiday and the inspiration for this tale. Enjoy.  
  
"Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms all around us ~including ourselves. For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart. It's message is universal; its lyrics transcend all earthly barriers; its music touches the heavens."   
~author unknown~  
  
Thanksgiving 1997  
New York City  
Somewhere in Manhattan  
  
It snowed in New York that year for the first time in almost five years. It was the night before Thanksgiving. The air held a crispness to it that signaled the end of autumn and the coming of winter. Elisa sat tired and cold in her Ford Fairlane ask she kept a tight surveillance on Dracon's main warehouse. Bundled in a scarf from Grandma Maza and gloves that had seen too much wear through the years, she tried to ignore the frigid cold.   
  
Dracon was out of the Pen and back on the streets. The young woman worn down with chill and fatigue wanted nothing more than to bust the pond scum and send him straight back to the clink. Spending the holidays alone wasn't a pleasant option for the Detective. At the mention of Dracon's name and the phrase "sting operation" in the same sentence, Elisa eagerly volunteered for Holiday duty.  
  
[What a way to start the Holiday season. Look at the bright side, Maza. You're earning time and a half Holiday pay while you protect and serve. Can't beat the extra cash. It's going to be sorely needed for Christmas.]  
  
Her breath became a vaporous cloud and fogged her windshield as she kept a sharp eye on the service loading entrance of the warehouse. Elisa looked around for any activity but all was still. Boredom was her worst enemy at the moment. She glanced down at her watch and saw that it flashed 11:30. [The guys and Angela should just be getting off from patrol right about now.]  
  
Elisa thought how her parents had chosen to spend Thanksgiving with Beth in warm, sunny Arizona. They already had celebrated the holiday with Derek and Maggie in the Labyrinth. Elisa felt ashamed for mumbling some excuse about having to work, but the pain of seeing Derek in his current state greatly pained the Detective. [When the going gets tough, the tough pull double shifts.]  
  
Two headlights brought Elisa from her silent reverie. A dark van without markings pulled into the side drive next to the warehouse. Elisa brought her binoculars to her eyes for a better look. She saw Dracon's right-hand man leading the pack. He was an African-American wearing spectacles she recognized as "Glasses" and dressed in Armani directing two other men. The duo carried in several large boxes from the vanload. [Pay dirt! Crime in progress.]  
  
Elisa radioed for back up. Within the hour, search warrant was produced and thirteen crates of hot appliances were found during the sting. Luckily, Dracon had shown up in mid-search and was arrested along with his right-hand man; Glasses and Tony were hauled away in a NYPD cruiser by uniformed cops. Another night of crime-fighting was successfully accomplished. It was a good feeling to see the two thugs lead away in handcuffs. A glowing warmth of satisfaction barely dulled the lurking emptiness weighing heavily within Elisa Maza.  
  
After shift, Elisa knew sleep was what she needed more than anything. She wanted to forget Quarrymen, John Castaway, and anything else strange and extraordinary. She undid the four locks on her door and let herself into her apartment. Once inside, she slumped against the wall and sagged to the floor. Cagney quickly came into the living room to greet his often-absent mistress. The little gray tabby meowed incessantly in Elisa's ears.   
  
Elisa interpreted this to mean in Catspeak, "Feed me, I'm hungry!"  
  
Elisa scanned the contents of the cupboard. "Fish and liver, Beef Chedder, Tuna, Too Tasty salmon...yum." She hummed. Her finger landed on what she wanted to feed Cagney. "Here we go, Turkey! Just the thing to ring in Thanksgiving, don't ya think?"  
  
Cagney meowed appreciatively and wrapped herself around Elisa's ankles. Elisa made her way to the kitchen and managed not trip over the cat underfoot. As she had a thousand times prior, she ran the can opener and gave the felonious feline her nightly feeding of Kitty Delight. She poured the aromatically unpleasant brown mush into Cagney's bowl. She chuckled when her feline companion eagerly munched on the delicacy of wet cat food.  
  
"Better you than me." Elisa muttered.  
  
Elisa took a shower and quickly made her way to bed. She knew that it was just another day for her. She was alone on a holiday. [Mom, Dad and Beth are in Arizona. Derek and Maggie are with the other mutates. Xanatos and Fox are having a feast, I bet. Me? I'm going to kick back and just enjoy the day off. I don't have to work tonight and I'm just going to vege on the sofa.]  
  
Yeah, right. Give yourself another bunch of hooey. A small voice retorted.  
  
With the Quarrymen's quest to rid the world of Gargoyles, it wasn't safe for the clan to patrol the city. Yet they chose to do so in spite of what harm might come to them. Elisa admired their bravery but questioned their sanity. She'd seen Goliath and the clan all of three time in the past month. She knew that lurking emptiness hovering over her had nothing to do with fatigue. That loitering barrenness within her soul stemmed from loneliness. Elisa felt estranged from her brother. Peter and Diane's disapproval of her burgeoning romance with Goliath did little for familial relations. Their choice in this matter was evident when they chose to spend Thanksgiving with Beth in Arizona. Loneliness gripped Elisa's heart because she hadn't seen her closest friends in almost a month. Loneliness settled heavily upon her soul because she hadn't seen Goliath.  
  
"Stop it, Maza." She screamed aloud in the dark. "Quit throwing the pity party. Deal with it and get over it. You've been through worse. This is just the way it is."  
  
Elisa went to sleep at five in the morning. Cagney curled at his mistress's feet trying to give her some comfort. The little tabby mewled with concern when he heard his human's quiet sobs muffled against her pillow. She smelled the salt of Elisa's tears as they stained the cotton linens. She didn't know what caused her mistress pain; she only wished to stop it from hurting Elisa. Soon, the cries ceased and the human knew a restless sleep.  
  
  
  
The golden rays of late afternoon shone brightly through Elisa's bedroom window. She woke with a sore throat and a stuffed nose from the previous night's crying session. She mechanically went through her normal waking routine of shower and breakfast. Since it was her night off, she decided to order a pizza and watch a couple of videos. She browsed through her collection and found nothing to her liking.  
  
"Figures." She mumbled.  
  
Elisa's cellular's annoying melody of "Wild Blue Yonder" filled the penthouse apartment. She crisply flipped open the phone. "Maza here."  
  
"Detective Maza, I'm so glad that I caught you." The articulate British lilt of Owen Burnett did nothing to life Elisa's sagging spirits. "I thought you would have been spending the holidays with your family."  
  
"Kind of hard to do when your boss turned my brother into half-cat and half-bat." She snapped. There was abrupt silence on the other end of the line. "Sorry, Owen. I didn't mean to take my anger out on you. I apologize."  
  
"No apology needed, Detective." He seemed completely unaffected by her scathing remark. "Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos wish to know if you have dinner plans for this evening?"  
  
"Dinner plans?" She looked at the phone skeptically to make certain she had heard correctly.  
  
"Yes, Detective, I believe that was what I said." Owen chose to ignore her sarcasm.  
  
[Yeah, I could lie and say I'm having dinner with the folks. I could tell him I have a date, but we all know better.]  
  
"No." Elisa spoke in a soft, sad voice. "I don't. It's just me and Cagney."  
  
"Then, Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos humbly request your presence at their dinner party this evening. Casual dress... nothing too formal. Dinner is promptly at 8:00 PM."  
  
"I don't know what to say."  
  
"Say you'll accept." There was another pause on the phone. "Detective, I know that blood is thin between you and the Xanatos'. There are things that cannot be retracted or undone. But, Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos are remorseful of their actions toward you and your family. They regret their former feud with the Gargoyles. They are attempting to reach out a hand in friendship toward you. I know it will never lessen the pain they have caused you. But, can you not find it in your heart to forgive them?"  
  
"That's none of your business." Elisa spat through gritted teeth. She contemplated the temptation of hanging up on Owen.  
  
"Goliath and the others miss you." Owen's voice held a hint of warmth. "He misses you."  
  
[Damn him all to Hell!] Elisa fumed in defeat. Owen knew her Achilles' heel too well: Goliath and the clan. Normally, she'd dash over to the Eyrie building without a second thought or a moment's hesitation. [These are dangerous times that we live in. If Castaway figured out my connection with the Gargoyles, he could use it against them.]  
  
"Detective, Mr. Xanatos will send an unmarked car to your apartment building precisely at six-thirty." She silently cursed Owen for ostensibly reading her innermost thoughts. "Please be ready and waiting."  
  
"All right." She knew when she was beat. Her own heart and loneliness overrode her usually pragmatic judgment. "What should I bring for dinner?"  
  
"Yourself."  
  
  
  
Elisa looked through her modest wardrobe for the perfect attire for the Xanatos dinner party. Being casual, she decided on a pair of blue jeans and hunter-green sweater. Elisa rarely had the opportunity to dress up, so she took special care with her appearance. She kept her appearance simple with small gold hoops and gold chain given to her by her brother. She added a bit of color to her face with mascara and a light, subtle dusting of rouge. She topped off the look with a dark-honey hued lipstick.   
  
Looking in the mirror, she found her appearance meeting her satisfaction. She quickly made her way to the elevator and to the lobby of her apartment building. Xanatos abhorred tardiness and she wasn't looking for a fight with him [not tonight anyway.] Elisa was quite curious about the dinner party. [Really, I just want to see everyone again.]   
  
Everyone meant the clan..But most of all, Goliath.  
  
The ride across mid-town Manhattan was relatively quick despite the holiday traffic. She arrived at the Eyrie building promptly at 6:55. It felt good to walk up the steps and flash her Eyrie security badge to the doorperson. She made her way to the lobby of the offices and quickly took her ride to the 123rd floor. In one hand, Elisa carried a hastily prepared, last minute three bean salad. [It's always rude to go to one of these empty-handed, even it is to the dinner party of a multi-billionaire.]  
  
She stepped into the entrance hall of Castle Wyvern. She pondered how many guest would be there that evening. She walked slowly down the corridor and was greeted by one of her least favorite people. Fox stood there looking flawless while holding baby Alexander. Even Elisa couldn't ignore the softness in Fox's face as she gazed lovingly at her son. Elisa discreetly cleared her throat to alert the mistress of the castle of her presence.  
  
"Elisa, you're here." She happily exclaimed. "I was just about to call you to see if you were coming."  
  
"Yeah, I'm here." Elisa managed a small smile. She walked toward Fox and Alex. The little boy giggled and joyfully held his arms out to the Detective.  
  
"He wants you to hold him." Fox cooed. She placed Alex in Elisa's arms. Elisa stumbled and tried to shove the young tot back into the arms of his mother. "Don't be shy, Elisa. Go ahead and hold him. He has a way of discerning character."  
  
"Just for a moment." [I'm not great with kids.]  
  
Alex's eyes sparkled with merriment as he played with a silky tendril of Elisa's black hair. He squealed in delight as Elisa playfully tickled his round little tummy. "Hey, little man. How ya doing? Are you hungry for turkey? Are you hungry for Turkey? Yes, you are! I just bet you are. You are SO cute."  
  
"See, Elisa!" Fox told her. "You're a natural."  
  
"Here, take him." Elisa said gruffly. The spell of love was broken with Fox's words. "He needs his mother."  
  
"Dinner's in three minutes." Fox gently reminded her. "Thank you for coming, Elisa."  
  
"Hey, not a problem." The Detective flashed Fox a broad smile. "Thanks for the invitation."  
  
"I hope that...we can have fresh start." Regret tinged the redhead's husky alto.  
  
Elisa's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she scrutinized Fox. The repentance of past deeds glimmered in green eyes. Elisa suddenly felt quite tired. It wasn't from the extra shifts or the cold weather. The weariness came from carrying years of rancor and bitterness over her brother's lot in life. It came from the mistrust she harbored regarding Xanatos's every move and motive. The tiredness stemmed from the strained relations that Elisa had with her parents. The feelings of desolateness sprung forth from unrequited love and cynical fatalism in a world that hated her dearest friends. It was progressively breaking her spirit night after night.... and that fatigue was slowly and surely winning.  
  
[Not tonight, it won't!] Elisa silently vowed to herself. She studied the mother before her. Fox wasn't the ruthless mercenary hell-bent on exterminating the clan for sport and profit. Now, she was Fox Xanatos: wife deeply in love with her husband and doting mother of a sweet innocent baby. [Love changes everything, doesn't it?]  
  
"Yeah, Fox." Elisa blinked several times so that the tears wouldn't flow. "I'd really like that if you mean it."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Ah, there you are, Darling." A familiar baritone filled Elisa's ears. She turned to see David join his wife and child in the corridor. "Good evening, Detective."  
  
[Three years and he still can't address me by name.] "You can call me Elisa. I'm not on duty."  
  
"Okay, Elisa." Xanatos repeated the name slowly as if savoring it. "If you call me David."  
  
"All right." Elisa couldn't bring herself to address him so informally. Yet, she knew that the time of bitterness had come to an end with or without her consent. "You have yourself a deal, David.'  
  
"Goliath is waiting for you in the den." Xanatos spoke softly for only her to hear. "He's been a surly son-of-a- well, gun since he hasn't seen you in a while. Go cheer him up, Elisa, so he quits brooding around the castle."  
  
"Will do." She replied with a mock salute. Fox and David quietly smiled at one another as the watched Elisa's gait turn into a dead sprint one she thought she was out of their sight.  
  
"David, when are they going to admit they're in love?"  
  
"When Gargoyles get a tan."  
  
"Stranger things have happened."  
  
"Yeah, look at us." He wrapped his arm around the love-of-his-life. "Happy Thanksgiving."  
  
  
  
His presence in the den was both fierce and majestic. Goliath stood regal and proud with wings draped around him like a gabardine cloak. Dark velvet wings contrasted sharply with his muted gridelin complexion. Onyx eyes shimmered the reflection of the orange flames flickering in the stone hearth. He used the poker to tend the smoldering log burning brightly.  
  
"Goliath?" Elisa gingerly called to him.  
  
"Elisa, you've come." He made no attempt to hide the joy and exhilaration he felt when he saw his ladylove standing in the doorway. Wings flared in elation and he rushed forward to greet her with arms wide open.   
  
Elisa didn't waste another spare minute as she ran into open, waiting arms. Goliath put his taloned hands around her waist and lifted her effortlessly into the air. He danced around in a circle with her for a few seconds. His dark obsidian gaze held only love and devotion in its depths as he looked up at her. He pulled her close to him and possessively cloaked her in a triple embrace of talon, tail and wing.  
  
"How I have missed you, Love." He tenderly stroked her dark tresses. Elisa shivered at his touch. She remembered how Hudson had once told her that a gentle caress of hair was the equivalent of a Gargoyle's kiss. "It has been too long since I've seen you last."  
  
"Easy, Big Guy." Elisa felt the onslaught of emotions threatening to overwhelm her heart. "I might drop the salad."  
  
"Forgive me." Goliath hastily apologized. He released her from their embrace long enough to take the Tupperware container from her grasp and carefully set it on a dark oak end table. Before Elisa knew it, an ardently devoted embrace of a smitten Alpha Gargoyle again surrounded her. He pressed her tightly against him so that the steady beating of his heart Elisa easily heard. The warmth of his body calmed her frazzled nerves and soothed her troubled mind.  
  
"I've missed you so much, Goliath." Elisa wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled her Warrior closer. "I missed ...us."  
  
"Letters, e-mail, and telephone conversations do little to assuage the pain I feel when I'm not near you." He pressed a gentle kiss to her brow. He looked down at her. He saw that her clothes fit loosely on her slender frame. He noticed how there were faint shadows beneath usually vibrant eyes of amber and coffee. "Elisa, are you well."  
  
"I am now, Goliath." She didn't care if she looked like a fool. One tear containing joy slipped away from her flawless control.  
  
"Elisa!" Goliath gently wiped the tear away. "Why are you crying?"  
  
"Because, Thanksgiving isn't so bad after all." She smiled at him. "I have so much for that which I am thankful, Goliath. I realized today that I can't harbor old grudges or they'll eat me alive. I'm thankful for a chance to leave it all behind me. I'm grateful for the love the clan's shown me. I know I'm blessed because we love each other so much. I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, clothes on my back and a family that I love very much. Most of all, I have you here to share it with me. Life has never looked so good."  
  
"It is a human holiday." Goliath admitted. "But, I too, Elisa have much for which to be thankful. Xanatos and Fox have ended our feud. They give us sanctuary in this cold, harsh world. I have the closeness of my daughter and clan so that I am never truly alone. I am thankful for your friendship. I am blessed to know your love in my life. I have said it to you, but, the words never grow old, Elisa. I truly love you with all that is within me."  
  
"What's the Gargoyle phrase." Dark eyes looked into the onyx depths of her Warrior. "I love you fiercely and well."  
  
"Especially well." Goliath's mirth brought a new light on a very old holiday. "There is so much that I am thankful. Goddess has blessed me with you, Elisa Maza. Happy Thanksgiving."  
  
"Happy Thanksgiving, Big Guy."  
  
-Fini  
  
Thanksgiving Day,  
national holiday in the United States commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621, after a winter of great starvation and privation. In that year Gov. William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving, and all the colonists and the neighboring Native Americans shared the feast. Although similar observances were held locally, they were sporadic and at no set time. After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789. Abraham Lincoln, urged by Sarah J. Hale, revived the custom in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November. In 1939, 1940, and 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving the third Thursday in November. When a contradiction arose between Roosevelt's proclamation and some of those of state governors, Congress passed a joint resolution in 1941 decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The day is observed by church services and family reunions; the customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving feast.  
  
-Taken from the "Thanksgiving" entry at encyclopedia.com  
  
This is just a brief explanation of the American Holiday for Gargoyle readers not native to the United States. 


End file.
